"The
State Board of Education's own proposed budget for FY 03 was submitted
last January and called for an increase in spending over the previous
year. That proposal was made based on the best information available at
the time. The situation has, of course, changed and our state faces a
difficult financial situation.

"Our
original budget was organized around the idea that three great challenges
- three great gaps - face public education in Illinois: the achievement
gap, the teacher gap and the funding gap. The Board has felt that whatever
final funding level is agreed to, the goals of the budget should be to
target state funds to priority areas that address these gaps.

"Since
the depth of the state's fiscal crisis has become clear, it has been the
State Board's goal to work with its many partners in education to help
arrive at a spending plan that allocates limited dollars in the way that
will most effectively help school districts educate our children.

"The
Board feels that, in the overall context of reduced state spending, the
budget proposed today by Governor Ryan treats K-12 education fairly. Additionally
and importantly, it maintains funding for critical programs that address
the three gaps and it provides funding to continue the school construction
program.

"Specifically,
in addressing the achievement gap, the Board has placed particular emphasis
on standards, assessment and accountability, on reading, on math, on the
Summer Bridges Program, and on providing support for districts with schools
on the Academic Early Warning List. All these vital programs are retained
in this proposed budget at somewhat reduced funding levels.

"Regarding
the funding gap, although General State Aid has been reduced, the foundation
level remains the same as last year, hold harmless is continued and mandated
categoricals are funded at the 90 per cent level - above where they were
before the state started fully funding them under the Ryan administration.

"As
to the teacher gap, "startup" funding has been found to begin
important teacher quality and quantity programs that the Board has long
supported and which were given momentum by the Governor's recent teacher
summit.

"Reductions
in spending in many worthy and effective programs are difficult to accept.
Overall, however, no programs have been eliminated, the basic structure
of our proposed budget has been retained and a serious effort has been
made to spread the "pain" of reduced spending fairly among school
districts. The Board looks forward in the next days to working with the
Governor and the General Assembly to arrive at a final spending plan for
FY 2003."